Wednesday, June 4, 2008 10:49 AM EDT
Firefighters douse large blaze near quarry
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Early concern for explosives a priority
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 Fire broke out on hard-to-reach hilltop inside some 170 acres adjacent to the Cherenzia quarry gravel bank.
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WESTERLY -- The flames could be seen by firefighters at the Pawcatuck fire station just after 10 p.m. Tuesday night.
A glowing orb in the night sky was produced by the fire and could be seen from many areas of town. The fire broke out on a hard-to-reach hilltop deep inside an area of some 170 acres sitting adjacent to the Cherenzia quarry gravel bank off Old Hopkinton Road, according to Westerly Fire Chief David Sayles.
“In the middle of that acreage there’s a rather large brush pile -- 6 acres -- that was it, that was what we were up against,” Sayles said. “[Firefighters] fought valiantly for hours [to put the fire out.]”
The scorching inferno was first tackled by a small team of front-line firefighters led by Westerly Firefighter Tim Amindon and supervised by Sayles.
“They make me look good,” Sayles said of his firefighters.
As Sayles and his teams fought the fire, below at the command post down the hill, police, fire officials and representatives from Cherenzia used a map on an Internet equipped phone to ensure that “magazines” of quarry blasting materials were out of reach, safe from the dangers of a fire driven by the light winds.
Sayles said this morning that checking to ensure fire was nowhere near any blasting materials was the first priority.
“We ascertained that early,” Sayles said. “Cherenzia does an excellent job with safety.”
The fire took some four hours to completely extinguish and required several teams of firefighters from Westerly, but also from the Ashaway Fire Department. Ashaway also provided water from a tanker.
By 2:30 a.m., Sayles said, “We were mopping up.”
The area of the fire is abutted by Ashaway Road and residential streets including Quartz and Falco Drive, but at no time were any of those nearby homes and property threatened, Sayles said.
“What I want to say is thank you to [volunteer firefighters] and the businesses that employ them,” Sayles said. “We could never do what we do without that support.”
A glowing orb in the night sky was produced by the fire and could be seen from many areas of town. The fire broke out on a hard-to-reach hilltop deep inside an area of some 170 acres sitting adjacent to the Cherenzia quarry gravel bank off Old Hopkinton Road, according to Westerly Fire Chief David Sayles.
“In the middle of that acreage there’s a rather large brush pile -- 6 acres -- that was it, that was what we were up against,” Sayles said. “[Firefighters] fought valiantly for hours [to put the fire out.]”
The scorching inferno was first tackled by a small team of front-line firefighters led by Westerly Firefighter Tim Amindon and supervised by Sayles.
“They make me look good,” Sayles said of his firefighters.
As Sayles and his teams fought the fire, below at the command post down the hill, police, fire officials and representatives from Cherenzia used a map on an Internet equipped phone to ensure that “magazines” of quarry blasting materials were out of reach, safe from the dangers of a fire driven by the light winds.
Sayles said this morning that checking to ensure fire was nowhere near any blasting materials was the first priority.
“We ascertained that early,” Sayles said. “Cherenzia does an excellent job with safety.”
The fire took some four hours to completely extinguish and required several teams of firefighters from Westerly, but also from the Ashaway Fire Department. Ashaway also provided water from a tanker.
By 2:30 a.m., Sayles said, “We were mopping up.”
The area of the fire is abutted by Ashaway Road and residential streets including Quartz and Falco Drive, but at no time were any of those nearby homes and property threatened, Sayles said.
“What I want to say is thank you to [volunteer firefighters] and the businesses that employ them,” Sayles said. “We could never do what we do without that support.”
Brad wrote on Jun 5, 2008 4:34 PM:
" This fire was set more than likely. Hill top fire. Big deal... "
Louise wrote on Jun 4, 2008 10:58 PM:
" OMG, it's the angry “Re: _____” person again! Get some professional help and get a life! "
Townie wrote on Jun 4, 2008 2:19 PM:
" A huge thank you to the Westerly Fire Dept. They may be mostly volunteers but are truly professionals in what they do. If anyone has ever watched them in action they know what I'm talking about. You do us proud. "
Re: Ron wrote on Jun 4, 2008 1:39 PM:
" LOL, Don't you have anything more to worry about??? Cherenzia's trucks seldom leave the property! "
Ron wrote on Jun 4, 2008 12:55 PM:
" I'd like to know if Cherenzias' monster gravel trucks exceed the weight limits of Towns' roads and are prematurely degrading them. "
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